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THE CANDIŚATAKA OF BĀŅA
 
'female buffalo,' since she had slain a male buffalo (Mahişa). On this
the commentary says: 'How can she, who kills a male buffalo, be spoken
of by the term "female buffalo"? A female buffalo is weaker in strength
than the male, but thou art of a strength which is ten million times supe-
rior to that of a male buffalo (meaning Mahişa).' 4. Candi had per-
formed so manly an act in slaying Mahişa that she is no longer regarded by
her husband Siva as a woman. Nor does Siva exercise the usual privilege
of a husband that of summoning his wife to wait on his needs. So the
commentary, which reads: 'Summoning a wife who is a woman is proper,
but thou hast the behavior of a man; therein lies the jest.' 5. For the
explanation of the jest, see note 4.
 
V.L. (a) tiryak nandstraśasträvali.
 
281
 
15
 
jātā kim te hare bhir bhavati mahişato bhir avaśyam harīņām
adyendor dvāu kalańkāu tyajati patir apām dhäiryam ālokya
candram
 
vāyo kampyas tvayā 'nyo naya yama mahiṣād ātmayugyam
yayā 'rau
 
piste naṣṭam jahāsa dyujanam iti jayā sā 'stu devī śriye vaḥ
 
'Why is fear born in thee, O <Hari>¹? Surely there is fear of
<Mahişa>, <a buffalo>, on the part of <horses>²;
 
On the Moon today there are two spots; and (Varuņa), Lord of
Waters, on seeing the Moon [running away], loses his
courage*;
 
O Vāyu (Wind), another should be shaken by thee; [thou thy-
self shouldst not tremble]"; O Yama, lead thy vehicle away
from Mahisa."
 
With these words, after Devi (Candi) had crushed her foe
(Mahişa), Jaya¹ mocked the inhabitants of heaven who had
run away.
 
May that Devi (Candi) bring you prosperity!
 
Notes. 1. According to the commentary, the epithet Hari may signify
either Vişņu or Indra; this is supported by Sörensen, Index to the Names
in the Mahabharata, s.v. Hari. Indra is called Hari in Saryafataka, stanzas
71 and 72, and Candidataka, stanzas 19 and 59. 2. It is difficult to bring
out the pun in the translation, the idea being that Hari (Vişņu or Indra)
should not be afraid of Mahişa, even if hari (a horse) is usually afraid